


Burn

by UchidaKarasu



Series: Sting 'verse [2]
Category: Glee
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Companionable Snark, Explicit Sexual Content, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Oral Sex, Past Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Past Relationship(s), Past Violence, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-20
Updated: 2013-03-20
Packaged: 2018-01-06 22:49:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1112437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UchidaKarasu/pseuds/UchidaKarasu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurtbastian.  Sebastian likes challenges, always has and always will. Kurt Hummel is a challenge. In the words of Barney Stinson: challenge accepted. Kurtbastian, rated M for a reason!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Burn

**Author's Note:**

> Ridiculously long sequel to 'Sting', as prompted on the gkm on LJ. Also, since I have no idea when The First Time aired in 'real life', I made it mid-October. If this is wrong, send me a line - I know it aired mid-November but that doesn't exactly mean anything in canon. Also, all last names to unknown Warblers belong to the actors that play them.
> 
> Part of the migration from LJ/FFdotNet to AO3 and edited to my 2013 standards by yours truly.

  
**Burn** _**  
**_amarx17_ _  


* * *

Sebastian was confused.

He was the kind of guy that liked to have fun and play games, who liked to solve puzzles and tackle challenges. He liked mathematics and liked the sense of pride he felt when he got a hard problem right. He was a stereotypical man, so he liked sex very, _very_ much, but he liked _acquiring_ the man of the hour more than the deed itself. He liked to sing and dance, and found it to be a different type of release than sex or solving maths equations. He liked being on top (pun somewhat intended), regardless of the circumstances behind it, even if it meant being a total arsehole.

Well, maybe he wasn't _confused_ exactly, because he also liked when people gave as good as Sebastian could dish out. He had only met a few people that really given him a run for his money, or at least a run good enough for a laugh. That Latina minx from McKinley was one, always good for a verbal sparring. His only ex-boyfriend Gerard had been another, but that had been less fun and more defeating. His father also had a sharp tongue, not usually directed at Sebastian because Alexander Smythe had never cared for him enough to warrant attention at all, not even the degrading or disappointed kind that Sebastian had once thought was in his future.

Gay Face was another, but Sebastian could outwit him so it was just the amusement factor. Hummel was sharp and quick to temper, but he would've been more interesting if he would throw in some debauchery. It always brought a triumphant grin to Sebastian's face when Hummel used a word dirtier than in his normal dictionary. Once, Sebastian had goaded him to the point where Hummel had said, ' _Yeah, and you're just a slutty, overbearing_ bitch, _so why am I even talking to you?_ ' The emphasis on 'bitch' had been full of spunky fire, and Sebastian had snickered for two days to Hummel's annoyance.

Maybe the reasoning behind his confusion was that Hummel was the greatest challenge he had undertaken. Sebastian had slept with the straight sons of Senators and even a Catholic priest once while in Italy (that had been a tick on his bedpost that he was proud of — altar boys aside, he had seduced a man of God, and _boy_ he was a _stud_ ). Hummel, though, was bigger than that. They hadn't started off on the best foot, that was for sure. Anderson had been an innocent, attractive gay that had been a star at Dalton, so that had perked his interest, but the possessive boyfriend had made it so much sweeter.

Sebastian kinda liked Hummel, to be honest. He also liked the challenge of seducing him, weaselling underneath that proud and sometimes overbearing personality to get under his skin. He liked the idea of being his first, in a way ruining every other guy that could possibly bed him in the future. He liked the idea of Hummel, as stubborn and proud as he was, _submitting_ to him. Of course, Sebastian wasn't a total dick like Anderson, and he would never force _anyone_ to do _anything_ they didn't want, but still, he liked the idea of being the man who set the bar.

The sex would also be fantastic. Sure, they weren't enemies fighting over Anderson any more, but there was still a level of mutual dislike on both of their parts, so the sex would be _awesome_. Hummel wouldn't go down lightly, despite being a virginal soul, and they'd be brilliant together, really.

Of course, there laid the challenge. Sebastian kinda liked Hummel, but he couldn't _stand_ him either. Hummel was irritating: his voice was too high and loud, and he gossiped like a girl, and his clothes were pretentious, and his humour was too dry, and he was filled with so many self-confidence issues that it almost wasn't worth the effort. Everything about him rubbed Sebastian the wrong way, especially since he was a better than Sebastian in a lot of ways. Yeah, Sebastian could make a man cry with pleasure in the bedroom, and he had money and status, and he could manipulate anyone to do anything he wanted (as long as it was moral, because Sebastian _did_ have a conscious, contrary to popular belief). But Hummel was better than him at making friends, at singing, at taking disappointment, at talking to others with truth and compassion. He was a snarky, self-important thing, but at least he _could_ be humble. Sebastian couldn't. It was in his genetic DNA as much as his eye colour and sexual orientation.

Regardless. Sebastian really did kinda like Hummel, and all of the negative didn't surpass the positive. Hummel, even though he was outspoken and _loud_ , was still a genuine mystery to Sebastian. Hummel tried too hard to be himself, so there had to be something buried — he couldn't be _that_ transparent. He was a challenge and a puzzle, and Sebastian _loved_ challenges and puzzles.

In the words of one Barney Stinson: _challenge accepted_.

Now, all he had to do was get rid of that annoying idiot in a monkey suit. Literally.

* * *

They were sitting at a coffee shop in Bellefontaine, talking about said monkey in question.

"Do you know who it is?" Sebastian asked in French (because he _could_ ), genuinely curious even if it _was_ for his own selfish concerns. It had been brought up in casual conversation a few days previous, and Sebastian already didn't like the guy. Or girl, he supposed, but it was _Hummel_ and even _comatose_ people knew he was a flamer by pure, basic instinct. If a girl was going after him, then she needed her head checked.

It being a practical joke didn't cross his mind. No one in their right mind in _Ohio_ would spend that much money on a mindless prank. Not even Sebastian would waste money on that.

Hummel just shrugged, taking a sip of his Vanilla Honey Latte. Sebastian had picked the place a few weeks ago because it was small, quaint, and organic. Hummel soaked that crap up like Sebastian did a good cocktail and Sebastian knew he'd appreciate the gesture. Which he had. _Score._ "Honestly, I don't know," he replied, in English. "At first, I thought that maybe it was Blaine, but now I'm not so sure. He knows better than to give me milk chocolate instead of dark." _Another thing of note to remember about Kurt Hummel_ , Sebastian thought. _He likes the same kind of chocolate I do, but probably because of the stupid stuff like it being better for him instead of it being simply_ awesome.

"Then," Hummel continued, "I thought that maybe it was you, bu—"

Sebastian didn't even let him finish. "If I was going to woo you or some ridiculous thing like that, I wouldn't send you a man in an oversized gorilla suit with chocolates. That's just tacky." French again. Maybe he'd get a reaction for being pretentious himself. Sebastian liked it when he got all touchy and bent out of shape. He was humorously inventive.

"I think it's cute and touching," Hummel shot back with a glare, still apparently refusing to speak French. "I like being treated with corny things that happen in movies. Besides, not _everyone_ can afford to send the object of their affections to Rome for a weekend of mindless sex and no callback."

Sebastian wasn't offended because he would do that. Well, actually, he probably _had_ , but he couldn't remember. One highly expensive date-for-sex-and-no-callback wasn't any different from the next one. Still in French, he asked, "So you're saying, hypothetically, that if I bought two tickets to see Wicked on Broadway in New York, you wouldn't find that sweet and endearing or whatever you romantics call it?"

There was a promising flicker in Hummel's eyes but then he rolled his eyes. "Uh, no. Not having sex with you, Alvin Seville. And stop with the French; you're trying too hard and it shows."

 _This_ was why he kinda liked Hummel. He didn't try to be nice even if social decorum called for the opposite. He just didn't care about the bullshit, _especially_ when it was coming from Sebastian. Sebastian respected that...even if it was ungodly irritating.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sebastian stated innocently in French, but threw in a saucy wink that ruined the façade completely.

Sebastian wasn't really known for subtlety. Well, not in things like seducing people — he was straightforward, honest, and complete with his quarry, sometimes to the point of being obscene with his words. As long as it was true, that was his motto, even if it wasn't nice. He was always pretty honest, not much of a liar.

So the blatant, obvious force of his flirting was just that: blatant and obvious.

Hummel seemed to find it annoying. Probably because Sebastian had told him point blank that he was a challenge he couldn't resist.

Hummel stared at him, stood up gracefully, and then dead-panned, "C'mon, Meerkat, let's get out of here."

Sebastian knew better but he said anyway, in French of course, "It's about time you came to your senses about me. I'd be happy to _get out of here_. Your place or mine? Or would you prefer a hotel in some balmy Mediterranean country where we can lounge on the beach and make out in the sun?"

Hummel gritted his teeth behind the thin line of his lips, his jaw clenching with the effort. Then he sighed and said dejectedly, "What did I do that made the universe hate me so much?" He began walking towards the door, so Sebastian hopped up and followed him with a quiet snicker. "I mean, why in the world do I even _do_ this to myself? Why did this even _happen_? Why am I torturing myself by even acknowledging your existence? Why won't you just leave and go pick up some ridiculously attractive guy from a bar or a mall or something?"

Halfway through the parking lot to Sebastian's dark blue Aston Martin, Sebastian grabbed Hummel by the arm and drawled in English, "Look, you're annoying, I get that. But the constant self-depreciation is even more annoying. Sure you aren't the sexiest guy alive, because that title belongs to Bradley Cooper, but you aren't hideous either." He watched as Hummel blinked owlishly, and Sebastian, reluctant and not bothering to hide it, added after a brief hesitation, "You're pretty hot. If you weren't, I wouldn't be hitting on you, challenge or not." Then, forcing the swagger back into his actions, he let go of Hummel's arm and said, "C'mon, Betty White, we're gonna be late."

It took Hummel a few seconds, but eventually he slid into the passenger's side of the DB9, not looking at Sebastian for the entire drive to Columbus with nothing but alternative rock playing in the background.

When they pulled into a parking garage in the Short North, Hummel said, in freaking _French_ (and _fuck_ that was hot), "Bradley Cooper? Really? I much prefer Robert Downey Jr."

Sebastian cracked a wide, mischievous smile and answered, "He's smoking hot, yeah, but he's got nothing on Bradley Cooper."

They bantered in French about who was sexier all the way to Wesley Montgomery and David Makin's apartment, where a few of the previous Warblers were meeting up for a weekend in Columbus.

* * *

Sebastian had started his crusade to get into Kurt Hummel's pants two weeks after The Incident.

He had talked to him a few times in person since The Incident, starting with Hummel giving Sebastian back his jacket, but most of their correspondence had been through the telephone. After exchanging numbers after Sebastian's jacket had been safely placed in his Dalton dorm room, they had sent quite a few scathing texts back and forth. Exactly two weeks and one day after The Incident, Sebastian had called Hummel on the phone (something else not unusual) and had said point-blank, " _You are stuck up to the point of neurotic, and your voice irritates me half to suicide, but you know what? We'd be awesome together. Wanna meet up later?_ "

Hummel had sighed over the phone and said, " _No thanks_."

Sebastian had _laughed_ , loud and long, because he had expected that answer. If he had accepted, Sebastian probably would've choked on his innards and then told Hummel _no_ , because it _was_ too soon for that. Still, the challenge was there, and he _knew_ it would take a while for the shock of Anderson to subside, so he didn't feel badly at starting to tear down Hummel's walls early. Eventually, he had said through his laughter, " _This is going to be so much fun._ "

As much as Hummel had tried to hide it, Sebastian could hear the smile in his voice when he said, " _Yeah, good luck with that._ "

He had been trying ever since.

* * *

Sebastian felt a bit awkward around his supposed-friends but refused to show it.

At least that prick Trent didn't run around with this group though — Sebastian had an irrational dislike of him. It was probably because Sebastian _still_ got flack from him about Anderson, and _that_ sonofabitch had booked it four months ago from McKinley. Sebastian should've said something to burst Trent's bubble of love and loyalty to Blaine Anderson, like, ' _Hey, the guy you have a boner for nearly raped your friend Kurt. Still wanna suck his dick now?_ '

Every time Sebastian opened his mouth to do it, he _couldn't_.

He wasn't even sure if it was because he was sort of protecting Hummel or himself.

It sure as hell wasn't for Anderson's benefit. Sebastian was over that. He wouldn't touch someone like that no matter how much of an innocent gay he pretended to be. He was definitely over Anderson, and had moved on to someone more challenging, interesting, and spunky.

Sebastian didn't mind the people he was currently spending the weekend with, though. Wes and David were before Sebastian had come to Dalton, so he hadn't known them except through the Warblers. David irritated him, but Wes was cool and collected, a good person to align with. They were both rather taken with Hummel, greeting him with handshakes and _welcome to the apartment_ and all that bullshit.

Thad and Jeff weren't too bad either. Jeff was a bit too enthusiastic about everything, and he was pretty much a gossip queen, but Sebastian enjoyed listening to him talk (mostly because he got dirt on everyone he knew, and could conveniently use it as blackmail material). Thad didn't bother him until he tried to use his self-entitled superiority against him, but that wasn't very often. Being on the council with him (and Nick, for that matter) made Thad hard to be around sometimes, since he was such a power whore, but for the most part Sebastian didn't mind him. He had a good sense of humour and was relatively easy to manipulate, especially when it came to solos.

Sebastian loved solos, and the spotlight as well.

He also was relatively good friends with Nick, the last of their seven-man Columbus party. Nick tended to take Sebastian's side on, well, _everything_ , and if Sebastian hadn't been so occupied with Anderson and now Hummel, he would've made an attempt to seduce his straight friend. After all, the Senior was sharp as a tack and was just as conniving as Sebastian himself, albeit less ruthless, and someone like that was attractive just because of said feature.

Sebastian loved reigning superior in a power struggle.

At the current moment, everyone was complaining loudly about girlfriends being involved. David and Wes were both involved with someone while going to Ohio State for pre-grad, and had invited them along for their night on the Short North. It was the first Saturday of February, which meant they were having the Gallery Hop, something Hummel hadn't seen before. Having numerous art galleries opened to the public all night, as well as clubs and restaurants, while the streets were filled with street performers and musical talents as well as an insane amount of local pedestrians was something that Hummel needed to experience at least once in his lifetime.

It was really kinda sad that he hadn't really done anything in his life except goofing off for three days or so in New York for Nationals and perhaps mall shopping in Cincinnati or Columbus. He hadn't really _done_ anything, hence the reason why Sebastian had brought him along. Then again, once a Warbler always a Warbler, and the other guys literally adored him, so there hadn't been any hesitation.

Glee in respective schools was not supposed to be brought up, an agreement made between Gay Face, Aretha Franklin, and Sebastian himself, as a matter of Sectionals set-lists.

' _Which doesn't make any sense,_ ' Hummel had admitted to Sebastian after that meeting in the Lima Bean, ' _because New Directions doesn't come up with set-lists in advance. They wait until the last minute drama gives them brilliant inspiration on what to sing._ '

Hummel broke away from the playful argument happening in the middle of the flat and came over to Sebastian, sitting heavily on the other cushion of the loveseat. Sebastian smirked at him, trying to hide the awkwardness he felt around all these people that clearly were more comfortable around each other and Hummel than Sebastian.

Hummel prodded him with an elbow. "That smile looks awkward."

Sebastian downplayed the stab of... _something_ that he felt with faux amusement. "What's that supposed to mean, twinkletoes?"

Hummel rolled his eyes. "God, you need better nicknames, Sebastian. Or, you know, you could call me Kurt."

Sebastian snorted. "Says the gay face that constantly calls me something along the lines of a suricate."

Hummel jabbed him with an elbow, and Sebastian fought the urge to cringe and rub his side. Spiteful little minx, honestly. "Regardless," continued Hummel after a moment, crossing his legs all proper-like, "I refuse to be deterred. What's up?"

Sebastian hesitated, but eventually grinned and purred, "Oh nothing, _sweetheart_ , just wanted to get you over here."

Hummel stared at him for a long moment, one eyebrow arched over his currently-blue eyes, before he visibly bit the inside of his cheek. Sebastian wasn't sure if it was to hold back some crass remark (which would've been brilliant) or if it was something else entirely, but he didn't get a chance to question it as Hummel said quietly, "You are relentless."

The grin fell off Sebastian's face as they stared at each other. Something curled thickly in Sebastian's throat, like words wanting to be free, but he choked them down. He didn't want...he wasn't sure _what_ he wanted, but he eventually turned his head away, taken aback by the too-intense moment.

"C'mon," he said, his voice sounding remarkably even considering he felt like he was falling down a rabbit hole. "Bring your girlfriends and let's just get out of here. I'm hungry."

"I agree with Sebastian," said Wes, and the others sighed in defeat.

Twenty minutes later, they hit the dusky city of Columbus, with two women in tow.

* * *

"What the hell, man, it's an army of lesbians!"

They all watched as the band tutted out a catchy tune on various musical instruments while one of the women sang original lyrics in a crystalline vibrato. Nick and Thad were laughing uproariously, two girls latched on their arms, and Jeff was chatting with...well, he wasn't sure if the person was a he or a she, and it didn't really matter because this person was probably both male _and_ female. Most androgynes could be confusing like that, but more power to them.

Sebastian was munching on a stick of rock candy that he had bought from a convenience store a few blocks down, and he couldn't help but grin. In a way, it was a gigantic _fuck you_! to all of the douchebags that were littered about, bibles in hand and yelling something about sins and children or something. He wasn't really paying much attention, because zealots would be zealots, regardless of what they were being fanatical about. Even the LGTBQ community could be insane sometimes, he wasn't going to lie.

The Gallery Hop wasn't even a Pride parade, for crying out loud. It was just _fun_ , and the nerve of some people...

Hummel was laughing around the rim of a steaming coffee. Watching those lips curve in a bright laugh at the increasingly crude lyrics coming from the lesbians in retaliation to the homophobes was doing funny things to his insides. It definitely didn't help with the heat, that was for sure, because Hummel _was_ pretty hot _especially_ when he wasn't dressed like a pouf, but this was different. Just _different_.

He didn't like it. At all.

He did look good though: pair of relatively simple charcoal grey skinny jeans, a double-breasted periwinkle blue jacket that reached mid-thigh, a pattered scarf accented with greys and blacks, dark grey gloves, and a pair of black Doc Martens (he kept thinking about what was underneath said jacket as the night went on, but wasn't too obvious about it). He didn't seem overdressed or out there like he usually did, which was a relief — Hummel looked less like he was shielding himself with ridiculously flamboyant clothing and more like a comfortable human being.

At least he looked warm. It was the fourth of February, and night-time, so the temperature had been a steady twenty-two degrees Fahrenheit since the sun had set. The wind nipped everyone's cheeks but no one left the streets for the warmth of a studio or bar. It was congested on High Street and rightfully so; even though there were a few people that couldn't appreciate the one day a month where locals could enjoy themselves on the streets, it was still _that night_. Locals took advantage of it, because it was tradition in a way.

When the singing escalated into constant swearing and perhaps a few flying rocks if judging by the bellowing of the bible-thumpers, they all moved on. Jeff left his andro friend behind, tucking a number in the andro's pocket and getting a saucy wink from Sebastian. The kid needed more people he could _talk_ to, not just gossip to, even if Sebastian would never admit it. He'd just cover up his...whatever it was with debauchery and shamelessness. Besides, the andro was cute — they'd look good together when Jeff _finally_ got laid.

Sebastian threw the bare stick into a litter bin when he finally crunched the last of the candy, licking his lips to get all of the residue that might've resulted. He gave a wide-eyed shake of the head to a group of uni girls, who had giggled at his action, and lifted up his right hand, giving a crude gesture of giving head. They pouted and wiggled their perfectly waxed eyebrows and then turned their attention to other men surrounding, men less of a flamer than Sebastian was.

They made their way down High Street, stopping occasionally to stare into the windows of galleries, eateries, and a few shopping boutiques. A few times Thad had to tear David away from big dancing groups at the corners of streets, but only after everyone had gotten in a few moves. Sebastian danced with a few girls as they walked, as did Hummel, and Sebastian couldn't help but notice that Hummel danced so self-consciously. If he'd just let go every once in a while, let the beat of the music drive his movements, he would be a sight to behold.

Then he tore his eyes away, _again_ , because he felt uncomfortable. God, it was ridiculous, really, because he was Sebastian Smythe, and he didn't get uncomfortable.

But he was, and he was kinda getting attached to the annoying, pretentious Kurt Hummel.

Perhaps it was getting a bit out of hand. Sebastian didn't do relationships or courting or wooing or whatever. He _fucked_ , simple as that. He just wanted to fuck Hummel, because they would be magnificent together.

Yeah, it would be, but he didn't want to fuck Hummel. That word didn't...it didn't work well with the situation. Not with Hummel, not with Kurt.

This was out of hand. What did he even _want_ now?

He wasn't looking for a relationship with the guy, no way, because relationships were bad news and always ended tragically, and Sebastian wasn't going to do that to himself again. After his one ex-boyfriend, there was no way that he would. Sebastian didn't see Hummel ever being the type of boyfriend to hit or strike, but that didn't mean shit. Anderson hadn't seemed like the type to give his innocent, loving boyfriend a concussion, a nasty scar on the back of his head, and nightmares for weeks due to almost raping him. There was no telling what Hummel would be like, and besides, even if he _didn't_ hit, words were always crueller than heavy hands. Physical wounds went away, but emotional ones _never_ went away.

Sebastian was _not_ going there again.

So what _did_ he want with Hummel? He didn't want a relationship, hell no, but he didn't want to just fuck him either. He was...friends with the brat, yeah, so perhaps a casual thing? Depended on how awesome he was in bed, and no, it didn't. He _liked_ Hummel, as a friend and verbal sparring partner. He liked being able to text or call whenever he felt like it, even if it was in the middle of Hummel's classes.

He liked Hummel. Perhaps friends-with-benefits? Or maybe just having gratifying sex once between two friends? It wasn't going to be fucking, because that wasn't what Sebastian had even wanted when deciding on seducing Hummel. He liked it sometimes, but only with certain people when he was in the mood, and even that was rare. Sebastian liked taking his time, making his partner fall apart, ruining them for all other men with his impressive libido. Having _sex_ with Hummel was no different.

Yeah, that was—

" _Sebastian_."

The Warbler jumped, and then immediately wanted to bang his head against a wall. He had, in a public place no doubt, gotten so lost in his thoughts about _Hummel_ that it had taken...

"You called me Sebastian," he stated, matter-of-fact with a hint of bewilderment. He stared into Hummel's eyes, grey in the street-lights, and continued, "Like, not how you usually say it, all bitchy and the sort."

Hummel frowned and then replied, "Well, don't get used to it. Besides, you wouldn't respond to anything else."

Sebastian rushed to get his usual composure back, and after a brief hesitation he grinned. "Why not? It's kinda hot."

Hummel stared at him for a second before he smirked back, causing Sebastian's chest to thud rather thickly. But then as soon as it appeared, Hummel's face evened out, a contemplative glimmer in his eyes that Sebastian didn't like. Then, out of nowhere, a long-fingered, gloved hand tentatively threaded its fingers with Sebastian's and started leading him down High Street.

Sebastian couldn't take his eyes off their interlaced fingers, his bare skin against the dark charcoal wool, and he opened his mouth to say something, _anything_. He gaped after Hummel for a moment before he realised that he was speechless and actually kind of terrified, if he was being honest with himself. This was _intimate_ and Sebastian didn't do _intimate_ , at least, not in the way that the ever-romantic Hummel did.

He tore his eyes away from their fingers and his gaze narrowed in confusion. "Where are the others?" he eventually managed to get out, his tone only slightly choked. It was true; the others were nowhere to be found, as all he could see was dancing people and couples and human art pieces and rainbow flags.

Hummel already had his iPhone out, and _why_ an iPhone? iPhones were abominations. "You spaced out right as we all started to leave, and they didn't hear me call for them over the music. Hold on, we're dipping into this restaurant lobby for a second so I can hear."

They did just that, and Sebastian watched as Hummel made the phone call to Wes. He watched his full lips, on the pale side from the cold, move as he spoke to his friend, and Hummel's hand was so warm in his, and Sebastian couldn't really control himself.

Gently, with his free hand, he cupped Hummel's chilled cheek and brought their lips together.

It was small, chaste, and Sebastian pulled away before he was tempted to deepen it. He stared at Hummel's face, eyes closed and his nose pink with cold, and rubbed his thumb against Hummel's eyelid as something expanded in his stomach, something unfamiliar.

 _This is really, really bad_ , he thought to himself, almost in an internal panic, just as those multicoloured eyes opened.

Interrupting the long moment between them, the maître d'hôtel behind the counter said in an amused tone, "Do you two cuties want a table or not?"

Sebastian didn't take his eyes off Hummel as he said, "Sure, we'll take one if you've got it."

Kurt breathed in the mouthpiece of his phone, "Um, yeah, we'll catch up later at the apartment, okay?" He barely waited for a response before the phone disappeared into his jacket pocket.

Sebastian dropped his hand from Hummel's face and disconnected their fingers, inclining his head in the hostess' direction. They were seated at a small two-seater in the back of the restaurant, close to a window. They were given menus and left alone, so Sebastian quickly picked it up and began absently looking through it, not hungry or thirsty but not wanting to look at the man opposite.

"Stop," said Hummel gently, using a hand to lower the menu to the table. Sebastian noticed that his fingers were bare, so he looked up and regretted doing so. He was in a form-fitting, grey button-up that looked absolutely divine on his lean form, and his _neck_...

"You have commitment issues, I get that, but there's no need to completely cut yourself off. You've been acting strange all day, and it's unnecessary," Hummel explained, and Sebastian blinked. The eighteen-year-old was right, honestly. He was getting too hyped up about all of this. He was thinking too hard. This was _Hummel_ for chrissakes, not the bogeyman. This wasn't a _date_ , and it wasn't a _relationship_ — this was a late-night snack with a friend that happened to be insanely attractive and gayer than a bag of rainbows stapled to a masochistic leprechaun's cock.

Sebastian blinked again and started channelling his suave, charming self for the billionth time that night, but Hummel just sniffed and said, "It wouldn't kill you to be yourself, you know. I'm not going to gouge your eyes out or something."

Sebastian gave him a look that was not amused. "I'm _always_ myself, awesome and drop-dead sexy."

"That's ridiculous. Just...for once, stop with the innuendos and the crappy one-liners that would work on weaker men. Be honest."

That was actually kind of insulting, actually. He opened his mouth to retort but the waitress came up to them with a bright grin and a notepad. "Can I get you guys something warm to munch on?"

"I'll have a coffee," Hummel said with a small smile in her direction.

"Cream?"

Hummel nodded as those grey eyes glanced at Sebastian, so he said, "I'll have the same, thanks." He didn't want it, but maybe it would reintroduce some sense into his traitorous brain. Then, when Hummel thanked her and she disappeared, he shot back, "I'm _always_ honest, and that's a complete and utter fact. I resent the indication otherwise."

Hummel immediately countered, "You're honest about everything _but_ what is personal to _you,_ and then you evade or exaggerate to get people off your back. So, what's your favourite colour?"

The question took him off-guard. "Why?" he asked.

"Because I—" Hummel began but was interrupted by the waitress. At least she had the decency to look sheepish for interrupting their seemingly intent, lowly-spoken conversation, so she made quick work of putting down their cups, coffee pot, and creamer. When she left, Hummel started again, "Because I'm curious. Do I need another reason?"

Sebastian watched Hummel pour two cups of coffee and begin preparing them, Sebastian's exactly how he liked it. It shook him even more than the random-ish question about colours, and when he finally wrapped his hands around the cup of coffee, he answered quietly, "Yellow, actually. It doesn't matter."

"It does to me," replied Hummel, taking a sip from his cup. He scrunched up his nose slightly and added more creamer, stirring it languidly. After a moment he said, "Do you want dessert? The chocolate cake seems pretty good, but the lemon would probably be divine."

He had just had rock candy, but Sebastian didn't much mind. "We'll have both, and we can split it."

Then he wanted to grimace at how couple-like that sounded. Hummel seemed to see the discomfort in his face, because he said after a brief pause, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Sebastian wasn't stupid; he knew _exactly_ what Hummel was going on about. "Not really," he said, leaning back into his chair and levelling Hummel with his green-eyed stare.

"Okay," said Hummel, and it took a lot of will-power to not let his shock show.

"Okay?" he asked, calm but curious. Most people pushed, especially pushy people like Hummel. It was in his genetic DNA.

"You'll tell me if or when you want to. No use being a bitch about it."

Hearing Hummel say _bitch_ sent a wave of heat through Sebastian's blood.

When the waitress returned, Hummel ordered both of the desserts, and then said, "Besides, you wouldn't be a challenge yourself if you gave up your secrets so easily, Meerkat."

Sebastian huffed but said, "Touché."

The happy grin on Hummel's face was almost worth the blow.

* * *

They were headed back to the flat when Sebastian decided to make a move.

Not _that_ kind of move, oddly enough, because he didn't...well, for once it wasn't _about_ that, and he didn't even _want_ it really. Instead, as they walked side-by-side and their fingers occasionally brushed, Sebastian just held his breath and hesitantly threaded said fingers together, just like Hummel had done before, except now Hummel wasn't wearing gloves.

They held on loosely before Hummel met him the rest of the way, comfortably entwining their digits. Hummel's hands were chilly, but the feel of his smooth hand against his own lightly calloused one made his body erupt in goose flesh.

He let out the breath he had been holding, slowly and precisely.

They walked in a comfortable silence through the loud streets, dodging dancing performers and laughing groups of friends. They didn't see the others, and perhaps that was a good thing. It wouldn't do to have everyone think they were _together_ or anything, since they weren't. They had both made that quite clear.

They made it to the flat but didn't go inside the warm foyer. Instead, they both sat down together on the steps and watched the artists and pedestrians mingle, hands still linked as one.

Then out of the blue, Hummel gasped.

Not really alarmed, Sebastian lazily looked at him and said, "What is it, twinkletoes?"

He didn't even make a comment toward the name and said loudly, "I've figured it out! The guy in the monkey suit!"

That perked Sebastian's interest. "Who is it?" he demanded, grasping Hummel's hand tighter and leaning towards him.

"It's David!" he exclaimed.

"Woah, wait, _what_?"

Hummel snickered, leaning into Sebastian's side unconsciously. "No, not _that_ David. Uh, David Karofsky from McKinley? Or he used to go to McKinley, anyway."

Sebastian almost said _yeah, I know him, because he's the_ other _guy that's sexually assaulted you, and no wonder you're so self-conscious about yourself, considering the luck you've had with guys. Not that I'm much better, really, being as promiscuous as I am while having major commitment issues, but at least I'd never go_ that _far._ "You might've mentioned him," he alluded instead, but Hummel rolled his eyes.

"The hostility rolling off you in waves is a dead give-away. You know, for someone with a relationship phobia, you sure are protective."

Sebastian breathed, _very slowly_ , and then said honestly, "Well, your track record is bad when it comes to guys."

Hummel smiled, staring at the lively street party in front of them, and replied, "Well, not always. You're not so bad, despite the fact that you're annoying and pompous and a _total_ whore."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "I am not a _whore_. I have _fun_. And you're a lot more irritating than me, doll face, with your bitchiness and self-entitled superiority."

Then they met in the middle, heatedly and without care of who could see, and didn't stop until a small group of giggling girls started taking pictures.

"I'm Kurt," said Kurt, breathlessly.

"I'm Sebastian," replied Sebastian and pressed another kiss to pliable lips.

* * *

Maybe Finn and Sam were psychic.

When Sebastian pulled into the Hudmel abode in Lima after the comfortable drive from Columbus, Finn and Sam were on the front lawn, chucking an American football at each other as hard as they could. When Sebastian killed the engine of the Aston, they were immediately there, helping Kurt get his small over-the-weekend bags from the boot of the car.

Kurt complained loudly as they carried in his bags for him, saying that he could get it himself, while Sebastian smirked at the brotherly affection. Sebastian didn't have siblings and since Finn and Sam tended to...smother him sometimes, he figured that they were as close as he'd get.

Sebastian waited in the family room until Finn and Sam came down the stairs. At the identical expressions of solemn intensity, Sebastian froze. He knew instinctively that they knew things had changed between Kurt and Sebastian, and he wasn't disappointed.

It had been a _long_ time since he had been in _this_ position.

"We like you," started Sam with a nod of his blond head.

"Yeah, you saved our brother from that piece of shit Blaine," continued Finn. "We're really thankful for that man, you know."

Sebastian wondered if they realised they talked about themselves as a plural, and figured Finn was probably too dense to piece it together. Sam, maybe, because Sam was smart, but Finn was oblivious to pretty much everything. It was part of his innocent schoolboy charm.

"We don't know what happened in Columbus," said Sam, "but we do know that Kurt's all happy and stuff and that it's because of you."

"Did he say something to you," asked Sebastian in a lazy drawl, trying not to sound too curious.

"Nah," said Finn, "but we _know_ these things, y'know?"

"You hurt him and we'll kill you, understand?" Sam said, his intonation more like a statement rather than a question.

"Nothing like that is going on, but I hear you," answered Sebastian honestly. Kissing rather heatedly with an audience of teenaged girls didn't really count in the snogging category and they weren't dating _or_ having sex.

"We don't care if this is about your guys being gay together or whatever. You hurt him and we'll kill you, Seb, got it?" Finn asked intently.

Sebastian fought the urge to cringe at the nickname and said, "I got it."

Finn and Sam smiled identical creepy grins that put Sebastian on edge, but he refused to show his discomfort. After a while though, they nodded in sync while Sam said, "Alright, we believe you. Now, let's play video games or something Finn? I'm itching to kick some alien arse in Xbox Live."

"See ya later, Seb," said Finn, holding up a fist.

Sebastian fought the urge to roll his eyes and gave Finn a fist-bump that was quickly repeated with Sam. "Yeah, see you guys later I guess."

The boys left as soon as they had came, chatting about strategy in Halo: Reach maps, and when Kurt came down, he stated unapologetically, "They like you, but the death threat comes with the territory. My father likes you too, for obvious reasons I guess _,_ but he'll give you the same talk except with more threat of bodily harm. He did it with all of my other friends as well, so you don't have to feel left out."

"Joy," said Sebastian sarcastically, but inside he felt warm.

* * *

Valentine's Day was approaching fast, and the candy was piling up.

Sebastian didn't like it _at all_ , the idea that some prick was stepping into Sebastian's...well, it wasn't a game any more, really. It was _real_ , even being undefined.

Labels were stupid anyway.

He needed to come up with a way to assert himself towards the oaf in a monkey suit before the jerk either got sappy enough to woo Kurt or ended up doing something stupid. Besides, at least the kissing between Sebastian and Kurt, his not-boyfriend, was _consensual_ , the prick.

' _He was confused_ ,' Kurt had told him after a small rant over the phone about idiots who couldn't keep their hands to themselves. ' _He was so far in the closet that he was having Turkish delight with the White Witch. He wasn't sure how to express himself and he...had a thing for me, and I sort of egged him on anyway._ '

Sebastian wasn't sure why Kurt was so quick to defend people that hurt him, and had told him that too.

Kurt had ignored his phone calls for an entire day.

He hadn't quite made up his mind about a course of action against the gorilla when Kurt looked up from his homework and said, "He wants to meet me at Breadstix."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "What is up with that place? It's not even edible."

"I know. We even have an Olive Garden but people _still_ opt for Breadstix," mumbled Kurt.

"The Olive Garden's shit too. It's fake Italian food, and the service there is almost as bad as Breadstix. Trust me — I spent a few months in Italy for vacation, and the food there is divine."

Kurt threw a mechanical pencil in Sebastian's general direction, which was not nice at all. It wasn't like Sebastian had asked Kurt to accompany him to Italy for a weekend. He _thought_ about it, but he figured that the pencil would've found itself in his eye socket if he had. At least the pencil hadn't made contact while flying across the room, at least.

"We became, I don't know, shaky acquaintances at best," Kurt continued as if Sebastian hadn't gone on that tangent. "He protected me when I originally came back to McKinley but after the whole Prom fiasco, we kind of avoided each other and then he transferred to Thurston and I haven't heard from him sense. I'm figuring that he's projecting his only gay experience into a warped sense of infatuation on me, because I'm the only one who has accepted him for him, despite his shortcomings."

"I don't like him," Sebastian grumbled. He didn't either. Kurt Hummel was extremely high maintenance hands down, and someone like Mr Forever Closeted wouldn't ever come close to being good enough. Sebastian didn't know him, so he wasn't really knowledgeable about what the guy was like outside of the bullying that had terrified Kurt into switching schools. However, Kurt needed to be paraded around like a princess — well, no, not like a princess; Kurt would kill him for the feminine comparison — and showered with affection or whatever. He needed to be able to walk down his hallway and say _hey, this is my boyfriend Insert-Name-Here_ , and he needed his boyfriend to do the same thing on his end.

Another reason why a relationship wouldn't work between them and why was he _doing_ this?

"Of course you don't, Sebastian," Kurt said in a placating tone. Then, completely ignoring the not-very-obvious aggression seeping from Sebastian's pores, he went on, "He's not a bad guy. Too quick to self-defensive anger, and he's scared of even himself, but he's not a bad person. He's just confused, and I don't want to hurt him. He's fragile right now, finally admitting to himself that he's gay and actually making an attempt to date another guy. I don't want to break him."

"You can't give him a pity fuck, Kurt," Sebastian said, and raised his hand when Kurt opened to retort angrily. "That's not what I meant and you know it, Mary Poppins. He needs to learn what it's like if he doesn't stick up for himself. He's queer, Kurt — he needs to come to terms with that by himself, not being coddled from the worst of it via someone who has suffered enough."

Kurt looked at him with an unreadable expression. Sebastian responded by lifting up his hand and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Then Kurt went back to his anatomy homework, going through the questions rapidly like Sebastian was with his mathematics. For a long moment, they just continued to do their homework, Sebastian completely absorbed in the mathematical puzzles. When he finished the last equation, he grinned and looked up.

Kurt was staring at him, amused with a small smile on his lips. Sebastian's grin faded a bit in confusion, and he said, "What?"

"You like maths," Kurt said.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "Nice observation, genius."

Changing the subject, Kurt said, "David's pretty attractive, you know. If he got out of his funk, if he got more comfortable with himself as a person, he'd be a good person to be in a relationship with."

Sebastian sighed. "He's not my type. He's too much of a whiny sub."

Kurt laughed, loud and strangled. "What in the world? David's not...he's... _what_?"

Sebastian shrugged, grasping Kurt's anatomy homework and switching it out with his maths. "He can play powerful, dominating man all he wants, he's still a needy sub. I don't do needy subs."

Kurt was still pale when he asked in a scathing tone, "What, you _don't_ want some needy guy who praises your oh-so-brilliant technique and let's you take control?"

Sebastian leant back against the sofa and answered honestly, "No, what I want is someone who is versatile. Regardless of what the porn shows and the fanfiction sixteen-year-old girls write about on-line, there's not really a such thing as tops and bottoms. Subs and doms, sure, but not tops and bottoms. I don't _always_ want to be the one doing the fucking, and the majority of guys _don't_ , although yes, I do have a preference for it. Same things goes with the lesbos. There's nothing wrong with a bit of variety, a bit of spice in the sex, such as switching. Otherwise, you're going to get bored, and then someone'll start cheating."

"That's bullshit," said Kurt bluntly. A shiver rolled down Sebastian's spine at the vulgarity, but he didn't let it show. "Firstly, people don't cheat solely because the sex is bad. Sure, I haven't been in that situation before, but I'm pretty sure the main reason people cheat is either because they have the desire to be a total arsehole or they get aroused by something and make a bad decision. That has nothing to do with sex — it just means that people make bad decisions."

Sebastian bit the inside of his cheek, chewed for a moment, and then said, "The majority of the time, you're right, but it's not always as simple as what your mind can come up with. To some people it's a fetish, simple as that." He began looking over Kurt's homework, figuring it was all correct but they had a system and it worked.

Kurt stopped looking at Sebastian's own work and said hesitantly, "Have you ever cheated on someone?"

Sebastian glanced up but quickly returned to the anatomy essay. "Well," he replied, "I haven't really been in any lovey-dovey relationships, but the one time I was, I didn't cheat, so no. I know that some of the guys I've spent the night with have been in relationships, but it doesn't really bother me. It was their choice, not mine."

"It should," said Kurt.

"Whatever. People are gonna get their rocks off regardless of whether it's with me or not."

Kurt sighed. "That's depressing. I would never cheat. It just seems like...like it's wrong. If you're going to be with someone, you should _be_ with someone. A relationship is a relationship for a reason, and people should respect that."

"That's not always true, Kurt," Sebastian rebutted. "Open relationships or marriages sometimes work when the right people are involved. There's a difference between experiencing orgasm with someone that your partner knows about and actually _loving_ that person. Sex and love aren't the same thing. It's the same with threesomes and cuckolding: it requires an insane amount of trust between two people who are comfortable with each other and love each other enormously. A lot of monogamous couples will _never_ have that level of trust, because they're constantly hiding purely physical urges and fantasies as they're worried about the backlash. In a way, that's not really healthy either, and people should respect _that_ too. After all, it's better to be honest and educated, because between forty and seventy per-cent of all people cheat and that's simple statistics."

There was a moment of silence, and Sebastian knew that Kurt was taking that in. He doubted that Kurt would ever wholly agree with it, because most people didn't, but at least he hadn't exploded at Sebastian's rather blunt statements. Then he said after that pause in a soft voice, _"Would_ you ever cheat?"

Sebastian kept scanning Kurt's essay, not really taking in any of the words. He couldn't for the life of him remember how they had gotten on _this_ subject. Hesitating, he answered truthfully, "I don't know. I don't have a lot of experience in this sort of thing. Like I said, I've only been in one relationship, and while I didn't cheat, I can't say with the utmost certainty that I would never do it. I like sex too much."

For a while they just sat there, side-by-side on the Hudmel's family room couch, silent except for their even breathing. Occasionally Kurt would reach out for some of the lightly salted popcorn that rested on the coffee table, but Sebastian didn't touch it. Popcorn wasn't good when it was cold.

Eventually, though, he admitted, "I don't think I would unless boundaries were set in agreement of an open relationship or as a kinky fetish between two educated people. Cheating...it's hurts, knowing that...well, it makes you feel like you aren't adequate enough, like you aren't worth anything. There's a difference between sex and love, but there's also a difference between sex and negligence and that's...it's not right. It's just not right."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kurt asked cautiously.

Sebastian stilled like a statue, his green eyes staring a hole in Kurt's anatomy essay, and then he said, "You have a grammatical error on this line. You should have put a semi-colon here, not a comma." He handed it to Kurt, who took it and frowned, immediately correcting the mistake.

"Your work is flawless, like usual," said Kurt after he had corrected his grammatical error, handing back Sebastian's homework. The Warbler put it inside his calculus book and shoved it into a satchel, before he leant back again and just started talking.

"When I was fifteen, I met this guy named Gerard when I lived in California. French guy, attractive and nice and whatever. I was pretty...well, infatuated with him. He was older, but my parents didn't give a flying fuck about what I was doing. I hadn't really been in a relationship before, just casual things before then, so I really put my all into it. And for a while it was really good. We practically lived together, really, and it was nice that it wasn't about money because he came from old money too. We went to school, me in high school and him in university, and then came home and pretty much had sex on, like, every horizontal and vertical surface in the apartment. It was awesome, and the sex was even better. I felt like an adult.

"Then he started acting funny, and we didn't spend as much time with each other. He stayed out late a few times and would come home reasonably toasted. We'd yell, throw things, and he'd kick me out, but that only lasted for a few days before he was calling me, begging me to come back. Eventually it got to the point where he stayed out a lot longer, sometimes for days, and I just tolerated it because I didn't want to upset him. I didn't want to go back to my parent's really, that was the major part of it. I still felt like an adult during all of this, having arguments with a boyfriend about stupid shit. I knew he was cheating on me, and there was nothing I could really do about that. I knew he was bored with me, because I was just a teenager really, but I didn't know what to do. I just felt like an adult in a shitty relationship, I didn't want to go back to my parent's, and I kept deluding myself that he would get it out of his system and everything would go back to normal, where we would have sex all the time and cuddle or whatever.

"And then, well, he disappeared for almost a week and I exploded, because he had track marks like my mum always did and he was clearly stoned out of his mind just like she always was. We screamed at each other and threw things, and then..." Sebastian trailed off, staring at his relaxed hands and feeling nothing but a numb buzzing in his bloodstream. Then, quietly, he continued, "And then he slapped me across the face, knocked me to the ground. He just stared at me for a second and then he broke down, like _really_ broke down, held me and apologised and promised that it would never happen again.

"And for a while it didn't. We had been with each other for almost a year by that point, and I told myself it was okay again. We did all that couple-like bullshit — fed each other dessert over restaurant tables, called each other pet names, went out to movies, stayed in bed all weekend, showered together, bought silly presents for each other that made us laugh, the whole she-bang. But then one didn't come home from his university for two days and when he did, he smelt like tequila and some foreign cologne, his neck covered in hickeys and his nose raw from snorting cocaine. I didn't confront him because I was...because I was...was _afraid_ , but he confronted me and he pushed me around a bit and then told me to get out so I went to a hotel.

"So I left, but a day later he begged me to come back, and I was stupid and did it. I lugged my suitcase in and there were other people there, guys, and he said we were going to have fun, a big fun _stupid_ party. I told him no and tried to leave, but he didn't even try to listen..."

"Oh my God," whispered Kurt, and Sebastian shook his head.

"No, it's not what you think. Well, he beat the shit out of me in front of all of his friends, and they tried, they really tried to, well, _yeah_ , but I fought my way out of it. Ended up collapsing on the pavement in front of a pizza place and woke up in a hospital two days later. He didn't — his friends didn't get that far."

"Sebastian, it's still awful regardless," Kurt stated angrily.

Sebastian was still numb, but he smiled ruefully at Kurt's anger, which wouldn't do any good, not any more. "I loved him, I really did, even despite the fact that he cheated on me and did drugs. I ended up going back too, a few days after being out of the hospital, and landed myself back there three more times. I just kept going back because I loved him, and really believed it would get better. Except it didn't. But I was committed to him, even though I shouldn't have been, and I just kept going back."

His voice blank, he dead-panned, "One day when I was approaching my seventeenth birthday, he came in, stoned out his mind, smacked me around a bit, and then collapsed on the floor. He never got back up. Overdosed on meth, OxyContin, and heroin. I'm just glad he didn't give me AIDS, considering how much he fucked around."

Sebastian frowned. "The funny thing is that I've dressed down and gone to support groups, because I thought that was something people did after relationships like I had. Then, when I figured out that it was depressing to see literally dozens of people within one small neighbourhood that had been in a relationship like that, I went to a therapist. Then, when I figured out that the various shrinks I went to only cared about my money and not about me as a person, I started chatting on-line with people and realised that _millions_ of people _worldwide_ go through what I did, sometimes in worse ways and sometimes in better. It's so fucking _common_ that it made me sick.

"The worst part about everything wasn't the fact that I was a punching bag, or that my boyfriend had been a cheating drug addict — it was that I _missed_ him. I still _do_ sometimes. But I'm not stupid and I know the statistics: for people who have already been in relationships like the one Gerry and I shared, it's eight-seven per-cent more likely for that person to be in a one-sided, abusive relationship again, because...well, that doesn't matter.

"So I don't do relationships. It's easier anyway; no attachment or the possibility of being...being _hurt_ like that again, and I still get to have lots of steamy, completely physical sex with attractive guys. Or sometimes not-so-attractive guys, because appearance isn't what makes someone attractive always."

"Sebastian..." Kurt started, but Sebastian shook his head.

"Don't," he said, looking at Kurt dully. "I didn't tell you because I want your pity or sympathy. It's in the past now, and there's no use giving it more thought than I already have. The only reason I told you is because—"

"I won't hurt you," interrupted Kurt, his voice hard and no-nonsense. "I can't promise that there won't be fighting, because I'm me and you're you, and we pretty much thrive on the snark and affectionate insults. I can't promise you that it will be perfect, because nothing is. But I will never, _ever_ hurt you, physically or emotionally. I'm not that kind of person, and you know that. Not only could you take me in a fight, but I could never bring myself to even _start_ one, not like that. And yeah, I know where to stab at someone to make them hurt, but you're no different and I'd feel nothing less but insulted if you didn't stand up for yourself if I ever got out of hand." Then he gave Sebastian a small smile and said, "I would never lose my cool through drugs and alcohol, if that's any consolation. I've only been drunk once in my life, and I ralphed all over my OCD guidance counsellor's shoes. The hangover was more than enough to swear me off of alcohol, but I don't like being out of control even more than even that. Of course, on my twenty-first birthday I make no promises, but that's customary for adulthood."

Sebastian cracked a smile.

"Look," Kurt continued, his currently-blue eyes intense, "I'm not asking for anything from you right now, not anything serious or conforming. I've only had one relationship myself and it turned out, well, not so good either, though not _nearly_ on the same level as yours. I don't want to rush this any more than you do, but I'm telling you right now that even if it takes a thousand years, I _will_ convince you that I will be nothing but annoying and yet affectionate to you. And romantic, but that's because I'm old-fashioned and pretty much terrified of sex at the moment." Kurt laughed and Sebastian's smile widened a bit.

As the laughter died a bit, Kurt said through his soft smile, "Half the time you annoy me half to insanity, yes, but despite all of that...I like you. I really, really like you and I know you like me too. That's all that matters. We both have issues, and we both spend more time bickering and calling each other names than having heartfelt conversations, but that's why this works. That's why we're friends despite our shaky past, because there's something _here_ between us and that's worth a shot, isn't it? I trust you more than I ever trusted any other guy, besides my dad and brothers of course, because you've been there for me and you saved me from something I did not want. I care about you, Sebastian Smythe, and maybe it really _can_ be that simple, if only you'll give it a chance to be so. I want everything, yes, but only what you're willing to give, nothing more."

Sebastian gave a wide grin that was obviously fake, and said, "But I'm a sex fiend with a thousand STIs from my flounderings, remember? I'm pretty much a walking venereal disease, twinkletoes."

Kurt rolled his eyes and answered, "I'll make sure to get you tested before we get to that point, Rescue Ranger Chip. Now wipe that uncomfortable grin off your lips before your irritating but beautiful face cracks in half."

Sebastian gave a small little laugh and said uncomfortable grin was replaced with something more natural. He felt lighter, really, something he hadn't felt in a very long, _long_ time.

Eventually, as they continued to stare at each other in a thick but easy silence, Kurt gently whispered, "If you want, you can kiss me. But only if you want."

Sebastian wanted, _so_ badly, so he did.

* * *

Kurt ended up going to Breadstix with Sebastian in tow.

Sebastian told David Karofsky point-blank that if he was going to fight for Kurt Hummel, and he was going to fight hard and dirty if he had to. Karofsky had nearly lost his cool and Kurt had been rather pissed, hissing angrily under his breath about manners and tact. Sebastian rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever, but I'm serious. I will end you. Let's see if you're a good enough adversary to warrant Gay Face's affections."

"Starting off with calling Kurt by his name would probably be a good place to start, freak," shot back Karofsky, his ears pink with either embarrassment or rage, or both.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow and said reluctantly to Kurt, "Yeah, I kinda like this guy." Then, with a mischievous smirk, he added, "We should have a threesome."

Karofsky's face went red as Kurt spluttered angrily, "For _God's sake_ , Meerkat, can you not act like a complete slut for _two seconds_?"

"What, I can't help it if it'd be totally hot. You can stay in the closet if you want, you submissive little bear cub, but smexy times between us would be magnificent to say the least as long as you aren't averse to a little bit of playful spanking."

" _Sebastian Smythe!_ " Kurt hissed, sounding strangled at the rather successful attempt to keep his voice from getting to the point of shrieking.

Karofsky was speechless, probably because no one except lame old people at Scandals had ever hit on him so blatantly. Not that anything would come out of it, though. Kurt was, in no offence to him, kind of a prude when it came to stuff like that, probably from inexperience but mostly from some warped idea of monogamy and romance. Or something. As for Karofsky, he was _way_ too self-conscious of himself as he was probably still a virgin too, and he could've been just as sappy as Kurt with all that _one-person-for-the-rest-of-my-life_ crap.

The majority of it was that Sebastian was _not_ going to share Kurt with _anyone_.

At that moment, the memory of Sebastian and Karofsky — David, really — talking at Scandals right before Sebastian had caught Anderson taking advantage of Kurt...that stung a bit, so Sebastian sighed. "Look," he said, "I said some shitty things to you at Scandals because I was pissy. Anderson, the fucking prick, had blown me off for Betty White over here, and I felt the serious case of cockblocking. It wasn't cool, and I shouldn't have done that to you. However, I still don't like you, and despite my lewd behaviour, if you ever touch Kurt again in a way that he deems harmful, I _will_ chop off your dick and watch you bleed to death, and then I will laugh and flee the country to get away with first-degree murder. Do you understand me?"

"Yeah," Kar- _David_ choked, "I gotcha."

"Good," Sebastian said with a genial smile, "because I don't like repeating myself."

When Sebastian, Kurt, and David got up to leave about an hour later, looking mischievous-scandalised-amused respectively, an attractive guy sitting at a table said, "Karofsky? You on a date with these guys?"

Instead of letting Kurt retort angrily or David gape like a fish, Sebastian said, "Nope, we're talking about having a massive, three-school graduation party in Cabo, complete with strippers and way too much alcohol courtesy of my trust fund. What do you think, sound like a good idea?"

The guy raised his eyebrows and said, "Seriously?"

"Uh, _duh_ ," answered Sebastian sarcastically. "I've got so much money I wipe my arse with Benjamin Franklin's face, and most of my friends do too. Between Thurston, Dalton, and McKinley, it'd be one awesome rave as long as there's tonnes of booze, and considering the legal drinking age there is eighteen, I'm sure we'll be fine. You in?"

They spent a few minutes at Nick Martin's table plotting until the guy's girlfriend showed back up from the washroom, and then they left, but not after Sebastian had winked flirtatiously with Nick's lady.

"Thanks," mumbled David when they reached David's pick-up.

"Eh, whatever," replied Sebastian with an eye roll. "It's not like I'd take that prick to Cabo anyway. He's not smoking hot enough for that, and why would I get in the way of our three-person vacation, full of sex and...well, sex?"

Kurt smacked his palm on his forehead while David's ears went red again.

Sebastian figured that was a good end to _that_ part of the evening, and they killed time together while waiting for Sugar's retarded V-Day thing to start. Most of it consisted of Sebastian and Kurt arguing with each other with David looking on until they had to hide behind Kurt's Navigator due to Nick and his girl leaving Breadstix. After that they chatted, and Kurt tentatively invited David to the party, which David accepted with a wide grin.

Yeah, Sebastian didn't like him because he was a rival, but Sebastian liked him too. He would be so much more fun if he'd loosen up and be himself instead of a jumpy, defensive bear cub with a self-depreciating complex.

 _Challenge accepted_ , he thought with an internal snicker.

* * *

Sebastian wasn't sure when the shift happened.

He found himself saying to someone in New York during Nationals, "Yeah, that's Kurt. He's my annoying queen of a boyfriend."

On the aeroplane back to Ohio, after McKinley High's Nude Erections had taken second place at Nationals, he heard himself say to a member of the cabin crew, "Hey, could you get my boyfriend another water? He's out."

Then again, a few days later at a mall. A guy had made a scathing remark about Kurt being an abomination due to his obvious sexuality and Sebastian had hissed, "Watch your fucking mouth, prick. That's my boyfriend you're talking about. The only person who's allowed to insult him is me and _only_ in good humour, and I'll rearrange your face if I need to."

On the other end, he wasn't sure when Kurt had started it either. "This is Sebastian, the annoying chipmunk that won't leave me alone" became "This is Sebastian, my shameless and lewd boyfriend." At the mall, when the guy had started throwing punches that Sebastian had responded in kind to, Kurt had said while holding a rag to Sebastian's bleeding temple, "I should've found a boyfriend with more sense. Violence is never the answer."

It was two days before Rachel, Finn, Sam, Sebastian, and Kurt were all to fly to New York for good by the time he brought it up. Sebastian was packing his room up, just the stuff that he honestly needed for the four-bedroom apartment that Sebastian had rented. He had left it all for the last minute, in contrast to Kurt who had been pretty much ready for a week and had been helping everyone else instead. Like Sebastian, who procrastinated on boring shit like packing. He'd probably get dragged into New York for a shopping trip by Kurt anyway.

Sam was already packed too, but Sebastian _seriously_ doubted Finn was even close to even _starting_. That was Rachel's problem though, since they were all stupidly married and shit.

"So how long has it been since I started calling you my boyfriend, Gay Face? I can't for the life of me place a date or time, probably since I'm so sexually frustrated."

Kurt, who was helping him fold his chosen clothing from his closet so he could put it in one of the suitcases scattered about Sebastian's room, answered immediately without looking up, "You did it first, a month ago on the fifteenth of June when we were in Columbus for Pride. I did it a week later, on the twenty-third, while we were talking about you getting a plane ticket with us so you could go to Nationals with me."

"Oh," said Sebastian, blinking. Then he said, "I can't believe you remember these things. How about this: do we have a set date for you-know-what then, since we're...I dunno, _together_ or whatever?"

"Firstly, it's called an anniversary, and there's nothing wrong with calling it that. Secondly, well, I'm not really sure about that one, Alvin," Kurt admitted, looking up at Sebastian amusedly from his position on Sebastian's floor. "I mean, we met awhile ago, and I figure we've probably been tentatively dating for a while but refused to label it by mutual consent. It's either going to be when we were in Columbus with Wes and David and everybody, because it was the first time we did couple-ish things and kissed, or it's going to be the day before Valentine's Day, when we both went all deep and came to a shaky agreement. You remember as well as I do that there was kissing that day too."

Sebastian groaned. "Like I said, I'm sexually frustrated so _please_ don't bring up kissing. I have to pack all of this shit before I can make out with you."

Kurt gave him _the look_ , which was a mixture between _you're-a-dramatic-idiot_ and _I-really-care-about-you-despite-your-faults_. "Woah, _you're_ sexually frustrated?" Kurt asked. "I haven't had sex in my entire life, and _you're_ sexually frustrated?"

"It's been _months_ since I've gotten laid because of you," Sebastian whined, but a mischievous grin was threatening to pop up on his lips. "Since you've never gotten down and dirty with someone, you don't know what you're missing, so there's no _way_ you could _possibly_ understand how I feel. You're a _cockblocker,_ Hummel, I swear to God. I need to get rid of you before my dick chafes from all the masturbation."

Kurt threw a shirt at Sebastian's face, and the laugh Sebastian let out was loud and free. They got into a bit of a playful spiff for a few minutes, throwing things like pillows and clothing at each other, before Kurt tackled him on the floor and straddled his hips.

"Why aren't you using lube to save yourself the discomfort?" asked Kurt, his glasz eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Oh trust me, sweetheart, I use lube quite a bit. You're a cockblocker, you cockblocker, and I think you get off on making me suffer," Sebastian drawled with a smirk, trying not to get distracted with the way Kurt was pinning his wrists to the white carpet and using the other hand to trace his collar bones over his shirt. He _was_ frustrated though, sexually at least, because they hadn't even touched below the waist and Sebastian wasn't used to taking things slow. He did, every single day out of respect for Kurt's dignity or whatever, but it was torture. He wanted to completely unravel his headstrong diva of a boyfriend until he begged for release.

It was nice even _thinking_ 'boyfriend' and consciously allowing himself to acknowledge it.

"I know you've been patient with me," said Kurt, his expression going serious. "I really do appreciate it. I was wary of sex even before Blaine, and I know that you're used to having sex almost immediately after meeting someone you find attractive, so I...I just really want to thank you for that. I know it must've been difficult."

"Are we having a serious conversation now?" asked Sebastian innocently, earning an affectionate, playful flick to the underside of his chin.

Kurt didn't shoot off some reply to that though, instead laying his free hand gently on Sebastian's sternum and pressing a soft, but thorough kiss to Sebastian's smiling lips. They hovered, breathed, and then delved for more, taking their time exploring the familiar crevices of their mouths. Sebastian would never get tired of kissing Kurt, quite honestly, because it was something different than anything he had ever experienced before.

He now understood why people liked monogamous relationships, simply because of Kurt.

Even if it sucked, it was worth it.

They broke apart, breathing heavily against each other's lips, and Kurt said, "I trust you, Sebastian. You know that, right?"

"Don't trust me," Sebastian whispered playfully. "I'm a _stud_ that likes challenges and puzzles, and yours I've nearly cracked. Once I'm through with you, the puzzle will be complete and I won't have any use for you any more."

Kurt laughed softly and said, "Uh huh, keep telling yourself that, _stud_."

Sebastian nipped at Kurt's lower lip and pretty much purred, "You'll be ruined for all other men once I'm through with you."

"You've been so out of practice with months of forced celibacy that I doubt your egotistical claim," Kurt said teasingly. "Perhaps you should _prove_ it, Meerkat."

Sebastian knew what Kurt meant — _God_ that sent a straight shot of pure arousal through his bloodstream — and he felt his grin turn absolutely diabolical as he breathed wickedly, "Challenge _accepted_."

He closed the almost insignificant gap in between them, slanting their mouths together with heated intent. When Kurt gasped from the onslaught, Sebastian took advantage, immediately bypassing Kurt's full lips with his tongue. Immediately they fought for dominance, and Sebastian took the opportunity to pull his wrists from Kurt's lax grasp, burying his fingers into Kurt's hair. It was slightly stiff from product but still pliable beneath his hands, so he grasped a handful and tugged his head back gently for the sole purpose of attaching his lips to Kurt's pulse point. The shudder that went through Kurt's slender frame was delicious.

They had gotten to this point before and Sebastian knew the rules. It wasn't scarf season, so marking in visible places was off-limits. He reluctantly detached his lips before he would leave any evidence behind and began sucking and gently nipping at Kurt's collar bones, while one of his hands trailed down Kurt's body to land solidly on his pronounced hip.

Sebastian could feel Kurt getting hard against his lower stomach and the heat boiled in his blood at the pressure. He broke his lips away so he could breathe and kissed his way to Kurt's ear, where he breathed wickedly, "And here I thought I was supposed to finish packing before I was allowed to touch you." He had to grit his teeth to keep from making noise when Kurt grasped handfuls of Sebastian's hair and pulled them both up, pressing their lips together heatedly. Sebastian had a better angle to attack the tendons in Kurt's neck when they were both upright, and Sebastian began rubbing circles into the pressure point of Kurt's hip.

Kurt's long, slender fingers trailed down Sebastian's body after a brief hesitation and began fumbling with the buttons on Sebastian's shirt. "Shut up and take this off," he practically growled, and Sebastian smirked.

"Hmm, bossy little thing, aren't you?" he teased. He followed instruction though, detaching his hands from Kurt's body so he could calmly help Kurt remove the (apparently) offending piece of material. He nibbled and sucked on Kurt's earlobe, occasionally breathing hotly against the damp skin, while he shrugged out of his button-up. It went flying in some direction direction or another, already forgotten, mostly because Kurt was running his slightly cold fingers down Sebastian's chest.

He was remarkably more composed than Kurt was, so he lowered his hands to Kurt's hips, breaking away from his ear and looking at those dazzling eyes that were currently a bright sea green. "Can I?" he asked against Kurt's lips, kissing him lingeringly once as his fingers teased the hem of Kurt's shirt. At least Kurt wasn't wearing a bunch of layers for once, dressing casual-ish due to packing all day and whatnot, because Sebastian didn't want to spend twenty hours peeling off ten shirts and God knew what else.

Kurt nodded disjointedly, like he kept forgetting that he was doing it before he'd suddenly remember and go into overdrive. That was probably because Sebastian already was lightly teasing the remarkably smooth skin beneath the hem and God it was _magnificent_ how responsive he was. Sebastian took Kurt's lips into another searing kiss, letting his tongue utterly consume his boyfriend, his _boyfriend_ , as he _slowly_ began palming up Kurt's Galliano shirt, making sure to linger and rub his lightly calloused thumbs against Kurt's rapidly stiffening nipples. The thick moan that came from Kurt's throat just about broke Sebastian's self-control, but thankfully he held onto some semblance of grounding. He wanted to take this slow, completely ravishing the sexy man currently straddling Sebastian's sitting body. He wanted to blow his mind.

He wanted to make Kurt Hummel lose his mind, and for that he needed to keep a moderately clear head.

He broke their lips apart yet again but only to take the shirt, and he tossed it in the direction of his desk . Then he grasped Kurt's shoulders and said lowly, "C'mon, let's move to the bed. I wanna do this right and no one likes carpet burn."

They kissed once more before they both stood up. Sebastian wasted no time plastering them together, Kurt's bare chest feeling electric against his own. He began walking towards his bed, minding the fact that Kurt was going backwards and was shaky on his knees, and when Kurt's legs met resistance he gently lowered him down.

Sebastian didn't follow though. He stood at the foot of his bed, raking his eyes all over Kurt's lean form. His cheeks were flushed with heat and his eyes were heavily lidded as he stared up. Sebastian's eyes traced the elegant length of his neck, the gentle protrusion from his clavicles (which Sebastian was pleased to see a darkening bruise forming), his rather nicely shaped arms and long-fingered hands, his defined torso that was relatively hairless (did he shave or was he just like that to begin with?). Then his eyes dipped lower, taking in those never-ending legs clad in straight-legged grey trousers, feet covered in dark grey socks, and then he let his eyes linger on the bulge in the centre of his hips, Sebastian's mouth watering at the sight.

He looked up and Kurt let out a small noise at what he saw in Sebastian's smouldering gaze. To further his point, Sebastian said in a husky voice, "You are the sexiest cockblocker I've ever seen, twinkletoes."

Kurt laughed, a soft sound that was breathless, and said, "You can't stop for two seconds, can you?"

Sebastian smirked. "Why would I take the fun out of our camaraderie?" He slowly lowered himself onto the bed, nudging Kurt's legs apart so he could settle in between them, and descended languidly. He licked a light, lingering stripe all the way from Kurt's navel to the hollow of his throat, loving it as Kurt shivered against him. He then kissed up Kurt's neck and jaw, finding his way back to his boyfriend's lips as his fingers traced every line and dip in Kurt's chest. He spent a bit of time on Kurt's dusky nipples, relishing the groan that Kurt made, before letting his hands go to the top of Kurt's Stilling there, he pulled his lips away and said heatedly, "Can I?"

Kurt didn't answer for a moment since he was clearly attempting to get his breathing under control, his parted lips swollen from Sebastian's attention. After a minute or so, he said in a utterly _wrecked_ voice an octave deeper than usual, " _Please_ , Sebastian... _God_."

"My pleasure," Sebastian said, pleased, and then immediately lowered his head towards Kurt's left nipple. He sucked the nub into his mouth and grinned wickedly around it when Kurt let out a shrill gasp, his back slightly arching into the sensation. He swirled his tongue and tapped out syncopated rhythms while one hand tweaked the other nipple, Kurt shuddering repeatedly beneath him. God, he was so fucking _responsive_ that it was unbelievably arousing, and Sebastian's erection pressed painfully against the flies of his trousers in response. He switched sides, attacking Kurt's right nipple and playing with his left, and used his right hand to adjust himself.

He detached his lips and began sucking small red marks onto Kurt's ribs, making his way lower. He let his tongue dip into Kurt's navel before circling it, and his hands moved to the front of Kurt's trousers. Once again, he asked, "Can I?" but Kurt didn't even respond in words — he simply made a sound in the back of his throat and then curled his trembling fingers in Sebastian's hair.

Sebastian took that as a yes.

He deftly unbuttoned Kurt's jeans and _very_ slowly tugged down the zipper, the sound noticeable even through Kurt's intoxicating noises and Sebastian's heavy breathing. He brushed his hands teasingly over the bulge, causing Kurt's entire body to twitch, and he attached his lips to the skin right above the elastic band of his briefs. He sucked gently, unhurriedly edging the trousers down as Kurt slightly lifted his hips to help. He reluctantly had to part with the soft skin above Kurt's undergarments so he could fully remove the jeans, quickly pulling off his socks with the movement.

There was literally _no way_ to remove socks in a sexy way, so quick and easy tended to be the best strategy.

When he had thrown those out of sight, he took a moment to fully take in the shapely legs lightly dusted with blondish-brown hair, and then he said softly, _seriously_ , "Can I?"

Kurt opened his eyes, blinked rapidly, and then found his gaze. Sebastian was pleased to see that almost all of the sea green had disappeared from Kurt's eyes, his pupils so dilated with arousal that his eyes were nearly black. They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment before Kurt said shakily, "But I want to...I want...come here."

Sebastian obliged and joined their lips together heatedly, and he felt the collective backs of Kurt's fingers trace down the middle of Sebastian's chest, his short but maintained fingernails lightly scraping his skin. Sebastian inhaled sharply against Kurt's mouth, felt the grin that his reaction brought, and he matched that grin. He pulled back when Kurt's fingers got dangerously low, trailing through the slim line of trim hair that started below his belly button and disappeared beneath his own trousers. He smirked at Kurt's small pout and said against Kurt's lips, "Oh no you don't. Not quite yet." When Kurt opened his mouth to protest, Sebastian interrupted in an absolutely filthy tone, "No, I want your dick in my mouth. _Now_."

Kurt whimpered deliciously, closing his eyes tightly.

Sebastian's grin was positively wicked by this point but he asked yet again, "Can I?"

"You don't have to keep asking. I want this, Sebastian," Kurt said disjointedly.

Sebastian shook his head even though Kurt couldn't see it and said, "No chance in hell. You've never done this before, and while I would normally not really care unless you said no, this is different."

"It's not different," Kurt said, the last syllable turning into a moan when Sebastian let his fingers trace the outline of Kurt's prominent arousal.

"Yeah it is," admitted Sebastian as he began kissing his way down Kurt's body for the second time. When he reached Kurt's briefs, he said softly, "This is about you, not me. It's different. I have a mission to make your brains leak out of your eyeballs with pleasure." Then he lowered his mouth and began licking at the defined erection through the fabric of Kurt's briefs.

Kurt let out a strangled sound but Sebastian didn't relent, pressing his lips against the heat once before reluctantly pulling away. His fingers began slowly edging the briefs down, his eyes taking in every centimetre of skin that was revealed until he was completely bare.

He didn't even give Kurt the chance to be self-conscious about being naked because he almost immediately trailed the tip of his tongue up the shaft. Kurt groaned, a low and rumbling sound, when Sebastian pressed a hot, open mouthed kiss to the slick head, and Sebastian breathed against the musky flesh, "Tell me what you want."

Kurt tried three times to speak before he choked out, "Anything, just... _fuck_!"

Sebastian couldn't stop himself from moaning around the head of Kurt's cock when the vulgarity was bit out. Of course, Sebastian _had_ started sucking him gently, which had coaxed the response, but hearing the swear was intoxicating. He usually didn't give a shit about cursing, really, but Kurt was so proper in that regard that it just sounded so fucking sexy.

In reward, he grasped Kurt's hips firmly and then slowly but surely began lowering his head. The gag reflex (something that he wished he _didn't_ have) kicked in about two-thirds of the way down, so he backed off a tiny bit. He pressed his tongue along the underside as he sucked steadily, tasting the bitterness that accompanied. He began bobbing his head when his mouth, jaw, and throat had adjusted to the intrusion, and he let one hand wrap around what his mouth couldn't get to, moving in a tempo.

Kurt thrashed wildly beneath him but his hips didn't do more than twitch in his hand. Sebastian loved giving head, feeling the weight on his tongue and the taste in his mouth while he drove strong men like Kurt absolutely insane, but he was thankful that Kurt had a shred of mind left to not buck.

He began kissing and licking down the veins, because too much throat-work would make his jaw sore, and he could feel Kurt tensing beneath him at the onslaught. "S-stop, you h — you have t-to stop or I-I'll..." Kurt whimpered brokenly through the constant moans and erratic breathing, his fingers finding their way to Sebastian's hair and grasping like he was drowning.

Sebastian pulled off only long enough to say, "Let go for me, babe."

He lowered his head down and took Kurt into his mouth again, fast and _messy_ , but he began humming musical scales in his throat and he could _feel_ as much as see Kurt snap against his will. Kurt cried out sharply, his entire body growing taut like a bow as he climaxed, throbbing hotly against Sebastian's tongue. Sebastian pulled back slightly when Kurt's hips snapped and tried to swallow as much as he could, using his hand to gently draw out his orgasm as he gently swallowed around the head. Kurt's grip on his hair was borderline painful, but that just made Sebastian even _harder_ at the pleasure-pain that resulted.

Eventually he stopped completely when Kurt fell back onto the mattress, knowing from experience that he would be over-sensitive. He licked his lips as his eyes searched for something to wipe his mouth with, eventually finding his shirt hanging precariously from his bedpost. He quickly dabbed at his chin and then threw the shirt off the bed, moving upwards to lie next to Kurt.

He caressed his face with gentle hands, tracing his closed eyelids and his swollen lips with utmost affection. He looked so calm as he teetered on the edge of dozing, so relaxed, and it brought a small smile to Sebastian's own lips. Sebastian ran his fingers through Kurt's damp hair gently, and Sebastian could fall in _love_ with this man, he just _knew_ it. In a way, the revelation of it was terrifying, but looking down at Kurt Hummel in his post-orgasmic haze, it was just _right_.

Kurt's eyes opened, a stormy grey with flecks of the ocean.

Kurt just looked at him, dazed with a completely blitzed expression on his gorgeous face. Sebastian continued to stroke his hair while making an attempt to slow down his breathing, which he was ultimately successful with, and he eventually said affectionately, "Hello twinkletoes, welcome back to the land of the conscious."

"Sorry about that," sighed Kurt sleepily, "I think my brain just melted."

"Told you that I'm devastating in bed," said Sebastian smugly as he let Kurt cuddle against him. Sebastian liked having his boyfriend curled against him, cradled in his arms, and he focussed on that instead of the blazing inferno below his waist. He could take care of that later.

"Yeah yeah," Kurt said lightly, "I concede. I can't even imagine what it's going to be like when you're inside me."

Sebastian went still. Sure, his dick twitched happily with the thought, but still... "Kurt, we don't have to do that today. Even I didn't go all the way my first time. Actually, there's actually quite a few guys that don't even go all the way _ever_. Sex doesn't only mean _that_ , you know; it can mean lots of things. Sex is sex, penetration or no."

"I want to," Kurt declared, his voice losing the sleepy quality as he stared Sebastian straight in the eyes determinedly. There wasn't even a moment of hesitation when Kurt gently but quickly snuck his hand into Sebastian's trousers and _moved_ , twisting and jerking just right. A thick groan ripped from Sebastian's throat unwillingly, and he breathed heavily against Kurt's neck as his boyfriend worked.

"I want you inside of me," Kurt whispered, his voice uncommonly deep against Sebastian's hair. "I know you want it just as bad as I do and I—" His voice was cut off by a guttural moan that Sebastian could feel vibrating as his teeth closed against Kurt's pulse point.

He didn't care if it was scarf season or not — Sebastian loved Kurt's slender, elegant neck, and he was going to _mark_ him.

Kurt didn't even protest, his hands making quick work with the button on Sebastian's jeans since he wasn't so distracted by hormones. "C'mon, help me," Kurt said breathlessly, and Sebastian didn't argue, continuing to ravish Kurt's neck with his teeth and tongue as he simultaneously tried to get out of his trousers. Kurt let out an amused huff when they finally got them off and he mumbled, "Of _course_ you go commando. Why would I expect anything different?"

Sebastian grinned at the hickey on Kurt's neck, which he figured he'd probably get castrated for after they were finished, and replied, "It's uncomfortable, and I prefer easy access."

Kurt's arms wrapped around Sebastian's neck and said with laughter in his tone, "Of _course_ you do." He brought their lips together again as he moved closer, both of them laying side-by-side as their tongues winded together languidly, exploring. When they broke apart, breathing heavily, Kurt said slowly, "Hmm, that's weird, tasting myself."

Sebastian rolled his eyes in good nature. "Oh my God, no it's not. It's, like, ridiculously hot. So is your mussed and well-sexed countenance, courtesy of one mind-blowing orgasm by yours truly. Admit it, I am _awesome_."

"Shut up and let me take advantage of you," Kurt stated bluntly, and Sebastian found himself flat on his back with Kurt straddling his hips again. This time though, they were both naked, and Kurt looked magnificent in the soft light. His pale skin was almost glimmering with sweat and his entire body was peppered with small love bites, which made Sebastian grin heatedly.

"You can't take advantage of me if I'm a willing participant," Sebastian teased, while his hands grasped Kurt's defined thighs and pushed him back a few inches.

Kurt let out a shaky sigh, his palms resting on Sebastian's chest as he shuddered at the feel of Sebastian's erection pressing lightly against his arse. Sebastian hadn't taken a good look at that fine specimen yet, but he made a mental note to do so later. His arse looked so good in those sinfully tight jeans that he couldn't wait to explore in _much_ further detail.

Kurt seemed to have the same thing in mind. "Do you have any lube that _hasn't_ been used on some random guy?"

Sebastian pointed at his end table, watching the gorgeous angles and lines of Kurt stretch toward his indication. He lifted his body up while Kurt was distracted and attached hungry lips to the sensitive skin underneath Kurt's chin. He felt Kurt falter for a moment, and then straighten back out, bonking him playfully on the temple with the bottle.

"If you give me one more hickey, I'm going to end you, Sebastian Smythe," Kurt said, and yeah, Sebastian was going to be murdered later for that one.

Sebastian took the bottle before Kurt could get creative and opened the cellophane wrapping around the cap. Sebastian glanced at the bottle, snorting with amusement at the label. "You got cherry flavoured, Kurt. Surely you could've gotten a bit more creative."

Kurt's cheeks went even more red. "Well, it was the first one I touched, and _why_ do you need so many?"

Sebastian looked at Kurt like he was mental. Which he was. "Variety is the spice of life," he told his boyfriend in a tone that could only be described as _duh_. Then, because he still was a bit...wary, he said mock-teasingly, "Besides, I thought you were going to get me tested before we ever went this far?"

Kurt rolled his eyes and pressed a kiss against Sebastian's lips. They consumed each other for a long minute before Kurt said breathlessly, "Last week I found your test results and I know you've been abstaining from being a complete and utter slut since the date you did it. Besides, I know you're smart enough to use condoms with people that you don't know."

Sebastian frowned. While it was true that he had gotten a bunch of tests done so he could be ready when it got to their current point, he couldn't help but ask, "So you just happened upon them?" He wasn't upset about it, but he was curious on _how_.

Kurt frowned right back at him and said, "You put my homework inside of your notebook, Sebastian, maybe my accident, so when I fished them out I found them. I figured you had done it on purpose."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow and replied, "Well no, that wasn't my intention, but I suppose it's not necessarily a bad thing. I was wondering where that was anyway."

"It's probably in a landfill right now, since you threw all of your notebooks _and_ your school bag away at your graduation."

Sebastian huffed. "Oh yeah. Well, it's probably a good thing you seen them then, because I'd have to get them again."

"Yeah," said Kurt. "So I know you're clean, and I _really_ want you inside me right now."

Sebastian hesitated again and wasn't even sure _why_ he was hesitating. Kurt obviously had been thinking about this for awhile and had made an educated decision, and he was the virgin, so Sebastian wasn't sure why _he_ was the one that was almost...reluctant to do it in a way. Sebastian, after all, had thought about pretty much nothing else but how fucking awesome it would be to have Kurt beneath him, taking every inch. "Are you sure about this? Like I said, this is the first time you've really—"

"Sebastian, I will prep _myself_ if you don't," Kurt said, matter-of-fact, eyeing the bottle of lube with a hungry look in his eye.

Okay then.

Sebastian leant up and captured Kurt's lips in a kiss while opening the cap. He squirted lube on his fingertips with one hand ( _practise makes better_ , he thought to himself) and dropped it, not hesitating to reach behind Kurt's distracted body and slowly press a finger inside. He drew Kurt's tongue in his mouth and sucked on the muscle as he shallowly thrust the finger inside of him, trying not to get distracted by how ridiculously tight and hot he was.

"God," Kurt moaned when he pulled away, his breathing erratic and wet against Sebastian's cheek. Sebastian continued moving the finger in and out, going deeper until he couldn't go any further, and Kurt whispered, "Another, you can do another."

"Are you _sure_ you're a virgin?" murmured Sebastian, his voice playful.

"Fuck you," hummed Kurt without any bite, his eyes closed as his body started moving towards Sebastian's fingers.

"Don't worry," Sebastian said with a soft laugh, "we'll get there soon."

He added another finger, watching Kurt's face aptly for any tell-all markers of discomfort and-or pleasure, adjusting when one of the two emotions flittered across Kurt's expressive face. He searched and found it rather quickly, if Kurt's shrill gasp and full-body shudder was any indication. He quickly added another finger, pushing them in fast and fully, trying to detach himself from the situation. It was either that or he wasn't going to last long, and luckily he had a lot of practise with holding it off. He thought about Kurt's reactions mathematically, how to twist his hand to exclude discomfort to his wrist while making the sensations more intense for his boyfriend. The blazing heat in between his own thighs was still there, but detached, so he wouldn't get too carried away.

As he continued to push his fingers in and out, stretching him so he would be more comfortable, he asked heatedly, "How do you want it?"

Kurt shook his head back and forth, completely lost, but eventually choked out, "I don't — _God_ — I don't _care_ just _do_ it."

Sebastian repeated, "Are you _sure_ you're a virgin?"

"I swear to _God_ , Sebastian, I'm g—" He let out a thick groan when Sebastian removed his fingers and complained, "Wait, don't stop doing that."

Sebastian grinned but ignored that and said instead, "Reach over there and grab a condom."

"Put your fingers back in me and I will," shot back Kurt, but there was nothing but desperation in his tone. Sebastian chuckled, the sound rumbling in his chest, and obliged, beyond being gentle. He happily pushed in quick and fast, relishing the husky moan that Kurt let out, but then his fingers paused against Kurt's prostate when his boyfriend simply grabbed the lube and squirted a generous amount directly on Sebastian's cock.

"Woah," Sebastian managed, letting out his own shaky breath as it dripped down, cold and thick, and he opened his mouth to speak. He didn't get any words out because Kurt grasped his dick and moved his hand, tight and _so_ good, and he bucked his hips into Kurt's fist without thought.

"Don't you say a word, Sebastian Smythe," Kurt growled, the sound going straight to Sebastian's erection. Then he was lifting his hips up, Sebastian's fingers slipping out in the process (well, he was a bit distracted to make an effort to keep them there), and _slowly_ pushed down onto Sebastian's hardness.

Sebastian couldn't keep detached then, and his head fell back as his spine arched when Kurt bottomed out, his perfect and swollen lips parted while his eyes clenched shut. "Jesus Christ," Sebastian panted, fighting the urge to shut his own eyes at the utterly maddening feeling of being compacted by Kurt's tightness. He watched Kurt swallow visibly above him, his Adam's apple bobbing with the effort, and then Kurt let out a breath.

"Okay...yeah...this is...yeah," breathed Kurt, and then he began moving up and down shallowly. Sebastian tried so hard to detach himself but it wasn't working, because the sight of Kurt working himself on top of Sebastian was almost too much. Every muscle in Kurt's gorgeous body moved and rippled, sweat glistening deliciously on his skin, and Sebastian had to grit his teeth from the sensation. He found his hands on Kurt's hips and helped him move, feeling the muscles flex first-hand, and Sebastian let out a short sound that he had never heard come from his own lips before.

"God, you're magnificent," Sebastian heard himself say right before he snapped his hips up.

Kurt let out a keening cry and matched him, moving faster and deeper than before. Sebastian slammed his hips up, loving how Kurt threw his head back, fingernails digging into Sebastian's chest. He took over the tempo, relentless and completely filthy, before he pulled out completely.

He turned them both over, grasping Kurt's thighs and pushing them upwards before driving his dick back into Kurt's heat. Kurt shook beneath him, his arms coming around Sebastian's neck and holding on as if for dear life, and wrapped his legs around Sebastian's back. Sebastian pounded into him as hard as he could and kissed him just as thoroughly, twisting his tongue in Kurt's mouth as he wrapped a firm hand around Kurt's weeping cock.

He jerked Kurt off fast, his grip slick from what remained from the lube the Sebastian had prepped with, and drove in ruthlessly, knowing he wasn't going to last much longer. He held off by sheer willpower until Kurt let out a shrill wail, his dick throbbing in Sebastian's hand as he came, and Sebastian followed almost immediately after, a rough cry coming from his own throat in the process.

He managed a few more thrusts, miking it for as long as he could, before he collapsed, catching his bodyweight with one arm. His heart was beating so rapidly that he felt faint, and every nerve in his body felt seared from the fire that still pulsed in his blood. He managed to roll himself to the side, pulling Kurt with him as he tried to catch his breath, feeling Kurt's heart racing through his neck and chest.

Kurt was saying something but Sebastian couldn't hear it over the roaring in his ears, so he just said in a wrecked tone, "C'mere, I got you." His grasp on his boyfriend was just as tight as Kurt's was around Sebastian, their bodies pretty much stuck together with a mixture of sweat and come and heat, but he didn't care much. He was winding down, and he loved the feeling of having Kurt in his arms, winding down beside him.

When he could hear something besides the ringing, he finally heard what Kurt was saying. His name coming from Kurt's throat over and over again caused Sebastian's breathing to catch, and he began peppering kisses all over Kurt's face. His full bottom lip, his cheeks, his jaw, his forehead, his temple, his hair, his eyelids...he couldn't stop. He didn't _want_ to stop. He wanted to stay here in his bed forever, never letting go of _his boyfriend_ until they had to leave for the airport, kissing him until Kurt forgot his own name.

Yeah, he was definitely falling in love with this man curled in his arms, and he was falling _hard_.

When his breathing had evened out and his heart had matched Kurt's slowing heartbeat, he questioned gently, "You alright?"

"I'm dead," Kurt mumbled.

An affectionate smile came onto Sebastian's lips. "Yeah, I can see that," he answered, pressing more kisses against Kurt's face before he finally brought their lips together. The kiss was lazy and unheated — kissing simply for the sake of kissing, and Sebastian's chest expanded with the indescribable emotion that resulted.

"So, now that you've solved your puzzle, are you gonna high-tail it out of here?" asked Kurt playfully, his voice tired.

"Nah," Sebastian teased right back, "we're moving in together, remember? I can't get rid of you that easily. Of course, your two brothers and your sister-in-law will be joining us, but the walls are going to be soundproofed and I plan on making use out of that immediately."

Kurt laughed, light and airy, and said sleepily, "I'm glad."

"Me too," whispered Sebastian, but Kurt was already asleep in his arms.

* * *

A few weeks later, Sebastian found out that Kurt had no gag reflex.

That _bitch_.

* * *

 

Anderson looked a lot different since the last time Sebastian had laid eyes on him.

_He was wearing his hair free, wild curls framing a face more lean and adult. He was wearing a pair of square framed glasses, which only enhanced the beauty of his honey brown eyes and long lashes. The clothing he wore was casual, different than his current style from McKinley. He was clad in a dark grey sweater with a deep violet scarf, his legs clad in jeans that weren't tight but framed his legs more profoundly._

"You look good," Sebastian told Anderson, sitting down across from him.

"Thanks...er, so do you," replied Anderson, his expression confused from Sebastian's appearance. "I was expecting Kurt," said Anderson, getting right to the focus of his confusion, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Well, you got me," shot back Sebastian, but the anger that he had felt towards Anderson had faded to a disgruntled grudge over the years. "I'm the one who got your number from Wes, and I'm the one who brought you here. We need to talk."

"So the number that I have on my phone is yours, not Kurt's?" Anderson questioned. "Wes told me it was his."

"Yeah, well, Wes did the right thing," Sebastian said, and then got straight to the point. "Look, I know you've been trying to get a hold of him but it needs to stop. I know you're trying to make amends, and that's great. I'm all for that. But that's not what this is about, Anderson, and both of us know it. You want to get back in touch, after all these years and after what you _did_ , and that's not cool."

"It has nothing to do with us getting back together, Sebastian," Anderson said. "I wouldn't be averse to that, because yes, after all these years and after what I _regrettably_ did I still love him with all my heart, but it's not some ulterior motive for my actions."

"Kurt's been my boyfriend for three years, Anderson," Sebastian told him, point-blank and brutally honest, and the expression on Anderson's face was almost priceless. He didn't acknowledge that though, instead continuing, "I'm okay with you two being acquaintances, but the fact is that you broke his heart and you really, _really_ hurt him, physically _and_ emotionally."

"You think I don't hate myself for that?" Anderson asked, his voice full of something hard and directed towards himself.

"I know you do, which is why I'm even here right now," admitted Sebastian. He sighed and said, "Look, Kurt's happy right now. He's living his dream here in New York, he's probably going to end up on Broadway before Rachel does and all because he's worked his _arse_ off at NYADA. He hasn't accepted any help from me, from my money, because he's taking pride in what he's doing, and he is going to be a famous star one day with no help from anyone. Kurt is happy, so fucking _happy_ , Anderson, even if half the time he comes home and doesn't have the energy for even his skin care routine. I am _not_ going to allow you to come in to _our_ life and fuck with his head."

"I'm not going to, Sebastian!" Anderson exclaimed, shaking his head and his eyes earnest, and they got a few stares from other patrons of the coffeehouse. "I just want to make amends at least. I'm not asking for flowers and cupcakes — I just want to make this right. What I did was wrong, and I hate myself for it every single day."

"I believe you," said Sebastian, "but I'm still wary for obvious reasons. You sent him to the hospital for chrissakes, Anderson."

Anderson's face went stark white and he whispered, "Oh my God, how bad?"

"A concussion, sixteen stitches which he still has a scar from, and weeks worth of nightmares." He didn't feel bad at all for the completely broken expression on Anderson's face, because he needed to comprehend how _badly_ Kurt had been hurt because of his actions, but he forced himself to say, "He never blamed you. I did, because even drunk you should've known better or at least realised that he was bleeding out of his skull, but he never did. At one point he said there was nothing to forgive."

"There's _everything_ to forgive," Anderson choked out, and he was goddamn _crying_ , putting his heads in his hands and bawling like a fucking _baby_. Sebastian felt the last of the disgruntled grudge fade at the sight, and he sighed heavily, wondering if he should've comforted him somehow. Instead, he let Anderson bleed it out through his rather heart-wrenching sobs, giving other patrons of the New York coffeehouse a death glare if they so much as looked over.

Then, when the sobs softened into muffled sniffles, Sebastian said, "You will not drink around him."

"Haven't had a drop of alcohol since it happened," Anderson mumbled wetly.

"You will not hurt him ever again," Sebastian continued.

"Never, ever," Anderson whispered, finally looking up with reddened eyes.

"You can try to win him back," Sebastian said.

At that, Anderson looked confused. "I thought you said that you were dating now, although how the world that happened after how we all acted I'm not sure."

Sebastian leant back in his chair and steepled his fingers under his chin. "We _are_ dating now, and as for how that happened, let's just say Kurt's persuasive and good with words. He pretty much destroyed me the first time he ever kissed me, really. But that's another story for a different time. You can _try_ to win him back, and I emphasise _try_. I'm selfish, and I'm protective, and every part of me wants to send you on your merry way back to Boston without any sort of closure. But I know that it's wrong, so I'll tell you this: I'll fight like a demon for him, dirty and unapologetically, but if you can somehow weasel your way back into his life in that way, I won't stop you. Do I think you'll succeed? Nah, I don't. The sex is too good." Sebastian let himself have a wickedly self-important smile at that, but then that grin softened and he added, "We love each other too much."

"I understand," said Anderson after a brief pause, taking Sebastian's sincere words in, "but you don't have to worry about that. I'm not going to come in between you two, I promise."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Anderson. You won't get him back, but it wouldn't be fair to me to tell you not to. I can't control how you feel and how you act any more than you can control me. I will tell you though, I am a complete and utter _bitch_ , and I will claw your eyes out."

"I understand," Anderson said.

It was true. He didn't like to say it, but Anderson had every right to try. He _would_ be a bitch making sure that every advance Anderson would possibly bring would be shot down like a force of gravity, but it wasn't his place to force Anderson to make promises he probably wouldn't be able to keep. Anderson could try all he wanted...Sebastian loved Kurt and knew Kurt loved him back. They told each other every day, and Sebastian was confident.

A bit of friendly competition between Anderson would probably be fun despite Sebastian being a possessive cockblocker.

He pulled out his cell phone and dashed off a quick text to Kurt. As he typed, he said, "All right, we're going to meet Kurt, Sam, Finn, and Rachel for dinner tonight, like Kurt and I talked about. You game?"

"Yeah. I'm in New York for Spring Break, so I've got time," answered Anderson, wiping at his eyes behind the glasses. Sebastian got a text back that said ' _I'm not sure if I still want to do this, but I need to do this. Meet you at the place. Love you, Meerkat_.'

"Besides," he told Anderson outside the coffeehouse as they hailed a taxi, "it's not me you have to worry about — it's his too-protective brothers and sister. Don't cry to me when they cut your dick off."

Anderson made a small noise, but determinedly entered the taxi.

Sebastian smiled, and texted his boyfriend back.

' _Love you right back, twinkletoes._ '

конец

 


End file.
